Atkinson Law

If you’ve been named Personal Representative of an estate in Maryland — first, take a breath. It’s an honor. It’s also a lot.

Between court filings, creditor notices, family communications, and tax obligations, it’s easy to make mistakes — even with the best intentions. And some of those mistakes can delay the estate, create legal complications, or put you personally at risk.

Attorney Yollette Atkinson just published a practical guide to the 7 most common probate mistakes Maryland Personal Representatives make, including:

⏰ Missing filing deadlines with the Register of Wills
💸 Distributing assets before all debts and taxes are resolved
📂 Poor recordkeeping that causes problems at accounting time
🤐 Failing to communicate with beneficiaries — and the disputes that follow

Most of these mistakes are completely avoidable. And knowing about them now can save significant time, stress, and money later.

📖 Read the full blog (link in comments) — and share it with anyone who’s been named a Personal Representative.

📞 410-882-9595 | Atkinson Law serves families throughout Maryland.

When a loved one passes away, the grief alone is overwhelming. The last thing most families expect is to immediately face a stack of legal obligations.

Attorney Yollette Atkinson just published a compassionate, practical guide to what estate administration in Maryland actually looks like — covering the first steps after a loss, how the Register of Wills process works, managing family expectations, and when professional guidance can make a real difference.

Probate doesn’t have to be something families face alone or unprepared. Understanding what’s ahead makes an already difficult time a little more manageable.

📖 Read the full blog (link in comments) and share it with a family who may need it.

📞 410-882-9595 | Atkinson Law serves families throughout Maryland.

Memorial Day has passed — but for some people in Baltimore County and Harford County, the consequences of the weekend are just beginning.

If you or someone you know was charged with DUI over the holiday weekend, don’t wait and don’t assume the case is airtight.

Attorney Lesley Atkinson published a guide covering exactly what’s at stake after a Maryland DUI arrest — and what an experienced defense attorney can actually do about it:

✅ Was the traffic stop even lawful?
✅ Were field sobriety tests administered correctly?
✅ Are there Constitutional violations that could suppress evidence?
✅ Are there medical explanations for alleged impairment?

For veterans and military personnel, the stakes are even higher — a DUI conviction can affect security clearances, base driving privileges, and career advancement.

Every DUI case is fact-specific. The outcome often depends on details the average person would never know to question.

📖 Read the full blog (link in comments).
📞 Call Attorney Lesley Atkinson today: 410-882-9595

You were a passenger. The drugs weren’t yours. But now you’re facing a possession charge.

This happens more often than most people realize in Baltimore County and Harford County — and being in the car does not automatically make you guilty.

In Maryland, prosecutors use a theory called “constructive possession” to charge passengers even when drugs were found under a seat, in a console, or in someone else’s belongings. But to make that charge stick, the State must prove you knew the drugs were there AND exercised some control over them.

That’s where many of these cases fall apart.

Attorney Lesley Atkinson just published a detailed breakdown of the most effective defenses for passengers charged with drug possession, including:

✅ Mere presence is not enough — proximity alone doesn’t prove possession
✅ Lack of knowledge — if you didn’t know, the State may not be able to prove intent
✅ No dominion or control — especially when drugs were in another person’s belongings
✅ Illegal traffic stop or search — if your Fourth Amendment rights were violated, evidence may be suppressed

Don’t assume the case against you is airtight. Many passenger possession cases can be challenged successfully.

📖 Read the full blog (link in comments) and share it with anyone who needs it.

📞 410-882-9595 | Confidential consultations available.

It starts with shovels. Then a parking space. Then a shove.

And before long, police lights are flashing across an icy parking lot in Dundalk, Towson, Bel Air, or Aberdeen.

Most people never expect to be charged with assault over a neighborhood dispute. But in Maryland, criminal charges don’t require a fistfight or an injury. Sometimes all it takes is one heated moment.

Attorney Lesley Atkinson just published a must-read blog on exactly how these situations spiral — and what to do if you find yourself facing charges after a neighbor dispute, parking lot confrontation, or snow-related argument.

A few things that might surprise you:

⚠️ In Maryland, you can be charged with assault even if no punch was thrown and no injury occurred
⚠️ A peace order is not “just paperwork” — it can affect your job, your fi****ms rights, and your criminal case
⚠️ Ring cameras and cell phone videos don’t always tell the full story — but they can be used against you

If you’re dealing with assault charges or a peace order in Baltimore County or Harford County, early legal representation makes a real difference.

📖 Read the full blog (link in comments) and share it with anyone who needs it.

📞 410-882-9595 | Confidential consultations available.

Have you been served with a peace order in Baltimore County or Harford County? Or do you suspect there may be an active warrant for your arrest?

Either situation can move faster than most people expect — and waiting is one of the costliest mistakes you can make.

Attorney Lesley Scott Atkinson just published a straight-talking Q&A guide covering exactly what to do:

❓ What is a peace order and what can it actually do to you?
❓ What happens at the final hearing — and what if you don’t show up?
❓ What does an “unserved warrant” mean, and is it still active?
❓ Can you get ahead of a warrant before police show up at your door?
❓ How are peace orders and criminal charges connected?

The answers are in the blog — and they’re written in plain English, not legalese.

If this is your current situation, don’t wait. Read the full blog (link in comments) and call us for a confidential consultation.

📞 410-882-9595 | Serving Baltimore County and Harford County.

When a loved one passes away, the last thing most families expect is to be handed a stack of legal obligations.

But probate — the court process of settling an estate — is something most Maryland families will face at some point. And without knowing how it works, it’s easy to make costly mistakes.

Attorney Yollette Atkinson just published a complete guide to the Maryland probate process, covering:

📋 What probate actually is and when it’s required
🗓️ The 5 key steps from filing to final distribution
🏠 What a personal representative is responsible for
💰 When a simplified “small estate” process may apply
⚖️ How an attorney can prevent delays, disputes, and costly errors

Whether you’re currently navigating an estate or just want to understand what lies ahead for your family — this is a great resource to have.

📖 Read the full blog (link in comments) and share it with someone who may need it.

📞 410-882-9595 | Atkinson Law serves families throughout Maryland.

Probate is one of those things that’s easy to put off — especially when a family is grieving and overwhelmed.

But in Maryland, waiting too long to open probate can create real problems:

🏠 Real estate stays titled in the deceased’s name and can’t be transferred or sold
🏦 Bank accounts remain frozen, leaving beneficiaries without access to funds
📄 Creditor deadlines become unclear, potentially exposing the personal representative to liability
⚖️ Tax filing deadlines don’t wait

Maryland doesn’t set a hard statutory deadline for filing probate — but courts expect personal representatives to act within a reasonable time. Waiting without justification can invite court intervention and conflict among heirs.

Our latest blog walks through the real pros and cons of delaying probate in Maryland, what deadlines to be aware of, and when it makes sense to get started right away.

📖 Read the full blog (link in comments).

Did your loved one live out of state but own property in Maryland?

If so, you may need to open probate here in Maryland — even if the estate is already being handled in another state. This is called ancillary probate, and it’s more common than most people realize.

Some real-life examples:

🏡 A vacation condo in Ocean City owned solely in the deceased’s name? Maryland probate required.
🏠 A rental property in Baltimore titled individually? Maryland probate required.
🏦 A small Maryland bank account with a beneficiary designation? May not require probate at all.

The rules depend on how the property is titled — and getting it wrong can mean missed tax deadlines, court rejections, and months of added delay.

Atkinson Law’s latest blog walks through exactly when Maryland ancillary probate is required, how the process works, and how it may be avoided with the right planning in place.

Out-of-state executors and families dealing with Maryland property — this one’s for you.

📖 Read the full blog (link in comments).
📞 410-882-9595 | Atkinson Law assists families throughout Maryland.

Quick question: if someone wrote out their will by hand and signed it — is it valid in Maryland?

The answer might surprise you.

Handwritten wills can be valid in Maryland — but ONLY if they’re also witnessed by at least two people. No witnesses? It almost certainly won’t hold up.

And even a properly witnessed handwritten will tends to face more scrutiny in probate than a formally drafted one — raising questions like: is this the final version? Are all the pages here? Did the witnesses sign correctly?

Atkinson Law’s latest blog breaks down what Maryland law requires, why handwritten wills are harder to probate, and how authenticity gets proven if the will is ever challenged.

If you’re looking at a handwritten will and wondering whether it’s valid — read this before the probate process starts.

📖 Link in comments.
📞 410-882-9595